August loehnee



(ModeL) A. LOEHNLR.v Belt Lock or Fastener.

No. 237,399. .Patented Feb. 8,1881.

N PETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPNER. WASMXNGTON. D C.

UNIT-ED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUST LOEHNEB, OF ST..-LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOB TO ST. LOUIS POLYTEGHNIO IRON WORKS, OF SAME PLACE. I

BELT LOCK OR FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 237,399, dated February 8, 1881.

Application filed August 3, 1880. (ModeL) city and county of St. Louis, in the State of.

Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in BeltLocks or Fasteners,

which improvements are fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The object of the invention is to produce a device for uniting or fastening together the ends of belts used in the gearing of machinery, which may be quickly attached and adjusted, so as to hold the ends of the belt firmly together; also, to preveutinjuriesand avoid delays caused by the breaking of belting, (such breaking being often dangerous and troublesome,) and also delays resulting therefrom when belts are to be repaired by means of laces, hooks, or rivets, as in common practice.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan view of my improved belt lock or fastener. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same. Fig. 3 is an end view of same. Fig. 4 is a detached view of one of the jaws of the fastener. Figs. 5 and 6 show a modification in the construction of the fastener. Fig. 7 represents a perspective view of thefasteuer attached to belt. I

In the drawings referred to, A designates a plate of malleable iron, cast-steel, or any suitable metal, having a longitudinal opening along the center, with two jaws having teeth a along the sides of the opening, as shown, the said teeth being like saw-teeth, or chisel-shaped, or of any suitable form to take hold of the leather, rubber, or other material of which the belting may be made. Each of the jaws is a toothed plate with journals or pivots I) on its ends, as shown in Fig. 4. A pocket (indicated by c) is provided for each jaw, and is either cast with the plate or forged or pressed thereon, or otherwise rigidly fastened thereto, the ends of the pocket being formed at e to hold the journals 1) and allow the jaw a hinge movement. The journals or pivots I), however, do not constitute the bearings of the jaws, being only intended to retain the jaws when the fastener is not in use. The back of each jaw, being convex, bears its full length against and Within a pocket, 0, the latter extending partly over the jaw, forming both a socket and a curb for the same, and preventing any springing out or displacement of thejaw during opera- -tion.

The ends of the belt (indicated by d) are inserted between the jaws, as shown, and are held fast, the teeth pressing into them.

A modification in construction is shown in Figs. 5 and 6, in which a loose jaw, a, simply rests in a pocket, 0, and is not pivoted therein.

The opposite teeth may be fixed teeth, or two jaws, a, may be used. I

The device shown may be quickly attached and adjusted by simply passing the ends of the belt upward through the opening in the main plate, the belt being then extended and placed upon the belt-wheels. The teeth of the jaws meanwhile press into the belt, and, as will be seen, the greater the strain the more firmly the fastener holds the ends together. The length of beltmay also be nicely adjusted by using this device, and there is no tearing out or giving way, which commonly results from using the ordinary means of repairing breakage in belting; no delays in work necessary in order to connect the ends by lacing, riveting, &c.

1 am aware that it is not new, broadly, to construct a belt-fastener consisting of a rectangular plate with a central opening provided with teeth, or having jaws provided with such teeth.

I am also aware of Patent No. 46,264, issued February 7, 1865, to Rathburn and Comstock, which describes a belt-fastener with .movable jaws to hold the ends of the belt. That device, however, is not provided with the pockets, as herein described, for the jaws to rest and move in, and this feature has been found an important one in using the fastener. Therefore,

I claim- A belt-fastener having the plate A, provided with the longitudinal opening along the center, the pockets 0, and the pivoted jaws, the said jaws resting in and having their bearings in the pockets, which extend. partly over the jaws, as shown, and prevent their displacement, as'herein set forth.

A. LOEHNER.

Witnesses:

BRITTON A. HILL, THOMAS ROGERS. 

